Latch for luggage and like cases



June 15, 1965 B. HUMPHRIES 3,188,839

LATCH FOR LUGGAGE AND LIKE CASES Filed Feb. 18, 1963 15 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR J0/m/ 13 fluMPHP/ZIS A'HQRNEYS June 15, 1965 J. B. HUMPHRIES3,188,839

LATCH FOR LUGGAGE AND LIKE CASES Filed Feb. 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2June 15, 1965 Filed Feb. 18, 1965 J. B. HUMPHRIES LATCH FOR LUGGAGE ANDLIKE CASES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 54 I "IIIIIIM S.) r 7 o @5 E3050 4O 74 88 m142 2:6 I I I r rm 156 54- I II 'i I II M .,,L 150 'J ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,188,839 LATCH FOR LUGGAGE AND LIKE CASES John B.Humphries, Stamford, Conn, assignor to The Excelsior Hardware Company,Stamford, Conn. Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 258,984 6 Claims. (Cl.70-76) This invention relates to a novel latch for containers such asluggage cases. More specifically, the invention provides a compactself-contained latch operating with a pivoting, lever action topositively draw the two latch elements together for tight closure. Thelatch, held shut with a positive action and incorporating a novel lockstructure, is particularly suited for external mounting on the containerand requires no cooperating cut-outs in the container wall.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved compactlatch for luggage and similar containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container latch that canbe opened and shut with ease.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container latch of theabove character that draws the container tightly closed with amechanical advantage during Closure of the latch.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a latch of the abovecharacter that can be accommodated on thinwall containers without havingprotrusions extending into the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch having theforegoing features and incorporating an integral lock mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a latch embodying the presentinvention mounted on a container;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of thelatch of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view of the latch in the unlatchedcondition taken as a rear face view along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view similar to FIGURE 3 with the latch inthe closed, latched, condition; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional side elevation view of the latch of FIGURE 1,taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

The latch of the present invention has a pivotally operating main latchstructure, shown at the left side of the rear face views of FIGURES 3and 4, that holds the container closed and a second latch structure,shown in the right side of these figures, that positively maintains themain latch shut. The two latch structures are joined to produce reliablelatching combined with facile operation.

In the main latch, a latch member 30, FIGURES 3 and 4, pivots to openand close the latch in response to the pivoting of an actuator lever 26,FIGURE 1, with respect to a base housing 24. The resultant movement ofthe latch member 30, applied with a lever action to achieve facileclosing, automatically draws the container shut.

The actuator lever and housing of the main latch structure aremaintained aligned, to ensure easy operation, by

3,188,839 Patented June 15, 1965 a flange on the housing that isslidably engaged in a track on the lever.

The main latch structure preferably receives and engages a prong 14,FIGURE 1, that is spaced from a cam 16 ensuring alignment between theprong and the latch member. This alignment assures that the latch memberwill engage the prong to draw it tightly closed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, a container suchas the luggage case indicated generally at 10 is fitted with a latchindicated generally at 12. The latch 12 includes a hook-shaped prong 14and an aligning cam 16 protruding from one container portion shown asthe top 18, for positive engagement in a catch indicated generally at 20secured to the other container portion, the bottom 22. As illustratedthe container bottom 22 has a peripheral band 23 that passes under theupper portion of the catch 20.

The catch 20 has a base housing indicated generally at 24 mounted on thecontainer bottom 22. An actuator lever 26 is carried on the base housing24 and is pivotable between a closed position, aligned with the basehousing, and an open position as shown in FIGURE 1. Depressing a releaseactuator 28 releases a keeper, not seen in FIG- URE 1, that holds thelever 26 in the closed position.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, a latch member indicated generally at 30and having a latching projection 30a is pivotally supported on the basehousing 24 by a post 32 formed integral with the housing 24.

A post 34, formed integral with the actuating lever 26, is pivotallysecured in the base housing 24 to support the lever 26 for rotation withrespect to the housing. A stud 36 projects also from the actuating lever26 through a slot 38 in the base housing 24 to engage a slot 30b in thelatch member 30.

When the actuating lever 26 is pivoted about the post 34 to its openposition, as seen in FIGURE 3, the stud 36 swings the latch member 30about the post 32 to move the latching projection 30a out of engagementwith the prong 14, disposed in a prong chamber 40. The prong 14 is thenfree to be withdrawn from the chamber 40 and moved away from the catch20.

Still referring to FIGURE 3, during closure of the latch, the actuatinglever 26 is pivoted in the direction of the arrow 42 into alignment withthe base housing 24 as in FIG- URE 4. The differential rotation of thelever 26 with respect to the housing 24 causes the stud 36 to pivot thelatch member 30 about the post 32, to swing the latching projection 30aacross the prong chamber 40, where it engages the prong 14. Furtherpivoting of the latch member 30 pushes the prong 14 into the chamber 40.It will thus be seen that during closure of the latch 12, the latchingmember draws the prong 14, as from its position shown in FIGURE 3, to befully recessed in the chamber 40, as shown in FIGURE 4.

The latch 12 is held shut, as shown in FIGURE 4, by a bolt 46 thatprotrudes from the base housing 24 into an aperture 48 formed in akeeper assembly 49 on the actuating lever 26. Depressing the resilientlybiased release actuator 28 of the keeper assembly 49 ejects the bolt 46from the aperture 48, freeing the lever 26 to pivot around the post 34.

As best seen in FIGURES l and 2, the prong 14 and aligning cam 16 areformed on a casing block 50 that is suitably fabricated by casting. Thecasing block 50 is mounted on the container 10 with hollow-ended rivetposts 52 and 54 that extend through the container Wall. The hollow endsof the posts are expanded after assembly to form a rivet-likeconnection.

Base housing The base housing 24, suitably also cast and having rivetposts 56 and 58" for mounting on the 7 container 18, i has a peripheralwall 60 and an internal wall 62, as seen in FIGURE 2, that form thelatch chamber 64 and .a lockchamber 66. V The prong 14 and aligning cam16 of the casing block 50 enter the latch chamber 64 throughan opening68in the peripheral wall 60. The floor 76 of the base housing 24 has ahole 72 through which the pivot post 34' passes, and is apertured by theslot 38 through which the stud 36 of the lever 26 passes. The

floor '70 is raised with a platform 74 disposed under the latch memberSG. The'post 32, about'which .thelatch member 30 pivots,protrudesupward'from the platform As seen in FIGURE 2, the lock chamber66 hasaa keyhole 76 through the floor 70 and an opening 78 in theperipheral wall 60 through which the latching arm 46a of the bolt 46protrudes, as in FIGURE 4. A earn-ridge 79 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4)protrudes int-o a corner of the lock chamber 66 from the internal wall62. When the present latch is used on a luggage case as shown in FIGURE1 having a peripheral band 23, the peripheral wall 60 ofnthe basehousing is substantially wider around V the keeper aperture 48 by therelease actuator 28, thereby maintaining the late-i112 locked closed.

. The lock plate 102- has also a key aperture 116 having a semi-circularopenportion 118 centrally disposed adjoining a slot portion 120 that isformed by opposing,

spacediapar-t, convex shoulders 122 and 124.

When the latch islocked, as shown in FIGURE 4, the

V lock plate 162 is shifted in the lock chamber 66 against URE 3, wherethe. detent 112 is disposed on the other side of the cam ridge 79 andthe barrier 114 does not the upper portion ofthebase housing 24, betweenthe} rivet posts 56 and 58,'than elsewhere to allow the hous ing 24 tobemounted over the band 23, a portion of which is shown in FIGURE 2. Thebase housing internal wall 62 is similarly formed to accommodate theband 23 and enhance the strength of the'housing,

As shown near the top of FIGURE 2, the bolt 46 is constructed as shownin FIGURE 2 with the arm 46a interfere with the s't-opdowel 82. -Thebolt .46 is thus free tobe ejected from the keeper, assembly 49 and slidback into the lock-chamber 66, further deflecting the springSS." --f I fThe lock plate is shifted to this unlocked position from the lockedposition of FIGURE 4 by the key 86 shown in FIGURE 5. When-the keyisinsert'ed in the latch, FIGURE4, its pin 86a pivbtally engagesin thehole 96a '(FIGURE 2) in the cover plate 96 and the key web 86b isinitially infthe position shown in FIGURE 4.- Rotaextending from oneside and a shoulder 80 extending from the opposite side 46b; 7 A dowel82 protrudes from the bolt 46 at one edge to form a stop and a clearancehole 84 is formed through the center of the bolt to allow a key 86,shown in FIGURE 5, to turn freely with respect to the bolt.v FIGURE 2also shows a biasingleaf spring 88 extending. from its slot-support 90in the side 46b of the bolt.

tion of the key 86 in thedirection of arrow 126, FIG- URE 4, sweeps theweb 8615 across the open portion 118 of the key aperture past theshoulder 122 and across the key aperture slot portion 120. The key'web86b then engages the shoulder 124, and further "rotation in the As shownin FIGURE 4, i n the assembled latch, the

spring 88 is compressed between the internal wall 62 and the bolt 46 tourge the bolt forward. in the lock chamber 66 with its arm 46a fullyextendedthrough the opening 78. The forward movement 0f the bolt 46 islimited by the shoulders 92 and 94 formed on the base housin 24 in thewall 60 of the lock chamber 66.

A cover'plate 96, seen in FIGURE Z, is clamped over the latch and lockchambers 64 and 66 parallel to the housing floor 70 by expanding thehollow ends ofxthe rivet posts- 98a and 98b formed onthe base housing 24.and'also the hollow end of the rivet post 100 that extends from the pin34 formed on the actuating lever 26.- After the rivet posts-areflattened, as illustrated by the posts98b' and 100 seen in FIGURE 5,they clinch the cover plate.

to the base housing. The rivet post 98b, extending from the post 32about which the latch member 30 pivots, thus ensures that the pivotinglatch member 30' will not become disengaged from its post 32.

Lock structure As seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the shoulders 92 and94 andthe opposed internal wall 62 form, in the lock 'cham- ,ber 66, a slidechannel in which a lock plate 102' can be 1 the opposite edge of thelock plate 102 with a slot,108 that forms a cantilever arm 110 having adetent 112 pro ,truding from its free end. A barrier 114. extends from,the lock plate to interfere with the stop dowel 82 on the bolt 46 whenthe lock plate is in the locked position shown in FIGURE 4. Thisengagement between the barrier 114 of the lock plate 102 and the stopdowel 82 of the bolt 46 prevents the 'bolt from being ejected fromdirection of arrow 126 shift-s the lock plate to the un: locked positionof'FIGURE 3. With the lock plate thus shifted, the key W6b'86l7 is freeto rotate past the shoulder 124 to return to the initial position, shownin FIGURE 4 for removing the key from the latch.

' As the lock 'plate'102 tends to. slide along the shoulders 92 and94'an'd the internal wall 62, as from the locked position of'FIGURE 4 totheFIGURE 3 unlocked position, the detent 112 and the cam ridge79 camthe cantilever. arm backward into the slot l08, to allow-the lockplateto shift to the unlocked position. The cam ridge .79 is then disposedbeside the detent 112 to hold the lock plate in the unlocked position. Vi

Similarly, after the actuating lever 26 is pivoted into closedalignmentwith the base housing 24, the latch is locked by shifting thelock plate from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the position shown inFIGURE 4as a result of the opposite rotation of the key 86, FIGURE 5.

. Actuating lever As seen in FIGURE 2, the actuating lever 26 is formed,as by casting, with a flat plate portion 26a'and a protruding keeperchamber 128 which houses-the rele'ase'actuator 28 and alpla te'indicatedgenerally at 130-. The enlarged opening 132*in the keeper chamber128,"as best seen in "FIGURES'I and 2, provides access for depressing the re-60 lease actuator 28 to move its protruding pusher 28a through theaperture 48, which passes'through the keeper chamber wall 128a and theplate 130. A simultaneous downward urging, opposite to. the direction ofarrow-42 (FIGURE 1), opens the latch, i

The plate 130 isformed to .seat over the release actuator 28 in thekeeper chamber 128 and is crimped in place byrupsetting rivetposts136and 138. A lip 140, FIG- URE 2, is formedalong one side of the plate1'30and is disposed outside of the keeper chamber 128,beyond the i thislip.

wall128a, facing the base housing 24, as seen in FIG- .URES. The'boltreceiving aperture 48 is formed through The lip 140 also forms a sliderecess thatslidably engages a flange 142protrudingfrom the base housing24 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 5); this engagement holds the base housing 24 andthe actuating lever 26 together throughout the pivoting operation of thelatch, preventing the post 34 from being subjected to bending forces andenhancing the smooth operation of the latch.

The lever action of the present latch, whereby the prong is readilydrawn tightly into the catch, is efiiciently achieved by pivoting anextreme end of the actuating lever 26 to the base housing 24 with thepost 34. Further, the latch member 30 is pivotally supported on thehousing 24 spaced from the lever-housing pivoting connection provided bythe post 34. The distances on the latch member 30 from the pivot post 32to the pivotal coupling with the lever 26 via the stud 36, and to thelatching projection 30a, are small compared to the overall length of thelever 26 between its post 34 and keeper assembly 49. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention, the lever stud 36 engages the latch member39 at a point closer to the post 32 than the distance between the post32 and the latching projection 30a.

This construction provides a compound lever linkage that achieves astrong latching force with gentle operating pressure applied to theactuating lever 26. Further, the projection 30a pivots a substantialdistance between its open and closed positions to provide reliable,positive latching.

In summary, described above is a pivot-acting latch for luggage and likecontainers constructed with a novel catch mechanism having twocooperating latch mechanisms. The double latch construction makespossible a catch that has a simple operating movement and provides easyclosure with a lever action altording a high mechan ical advantage. Thetwo coacting mechanisms also ensure positive and secure closure.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention which,as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new and secured byLetters Patent is:

1. A catch for latching a prong member movable with respect to saidcatch, said catch comprising in combination (A) a base member,

(B) a latch member pivotally supported on said base member for rotationbetween an unlatched position where it allows said prong member to bewithdrawn from said catch and a latched position where it positivelyengages said prong member and draws it fully into said catch,

(1) means forming a slot in said latch member,

(C) an actuator pivotally joined at a first point to said base member,

(1) a remote end of said actuator spaced from said first point,

(2) a post extending from said actuator to engage said latch member slotat a second point along said actuator intermediate said first point andsaid remote end (a) so that a small latch operating pressure applied tosaid actuator at said remote end pivots said latch member between saidunlatched and latched positions with a lever action having a mechanicaladvantage.

2. The catch defined in claim 1 further comprising slidable retainingmeans maintaining said actuator in a selected plane throughout itspivoting movement.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 further comprising (A) releasableholding means associated with said base member and said actuator to holdsaid actuator in a closed position where said latch member is in itslatched position engaged with said prong member,

(1) said holding means applying the actuatorholding action adjacent saidremote end of said actuator to maintain said actuator in said closedposition with a lever action having a mechanical advantage.

4. A catch for latching a prong element movable with respect to saidcatc'h, said catch comprising in combination (A) a base member having ona first end flange means extending away firom a remote second end,

(B) a latch element pivotally supported on said base member intermediatesaid ends for rotation between a closed position Where it engages saidprong element and an open position where it allows said prong element tobe withdrawn :from said catch, and

(C) an actuator member pivotally joined to said base member adjacentsaid second end and pivotally coupled to said latch element to pivotsaid latch element between said open and closed positions as saidactuator member pivots with respect to said base member,

(1) means forming a slide recess in said actuator member for slidablyreceiving said flange means throughout the pivoting of said actuatormember,

(2) to maintain said members aligned during the pivoting motion of saidactuator member.

5. A catch for mounting on a first container portion to latchably retaina prong member mounted on a second portion of said container, said catchcomprising in combination (A) a base housing for securing to saidcontainer,

(1) a flange protruding from a first end of said housing in a directionaway from a remote second end,

(2) a prong-receiving first chamber on said housing intermediate saidfirst and second ends,

(3) a lock chamber on said housing adjacent said first end,

(B) a latch member having a latching projection,

(1) said latch member being pivotally supported on said base housing forrotation between an open position where said latching projection iswithdrawn from said first chamber to allow said prong member to bewithdrawn from said catch and a closed position where said latchingprojection protrudes across said first chamber to positively engage saidprong member and draw it into said first chamber,

(a) means forming a slot through said latch member,

(C) a bolt having an extending arm (1) said bolt being slida'blydisposed in said lock chamber and resiliently biased toward said firstend of said housing to extend said arm beyond said first end of saidhousing,

(D) an actuating lever having a plate portion and a projecting keeper,

( 1) said lever being pivotally joined to said second end of said basehousing with said plate portion lying against said base housing and saidkeeper being disposed substantially coplanar with said base housing andadjacent its first end,

(2) a stud protruding from said actuating lever to engage said slot insaid latch member (a) so that pivoting of said lever between unlatchedand latched positions, respective1y,"piv'ots said latch member betweensaid open and closed positions, '(3)-"said keeper receiving s'aidextended holt'arm when said lever' isiin saidlatched position to*constrain said lever firo'm pivoting, and

(E) means tforniingnanarcuate slot in said actuating. lever for islidably, retaining said flange throughout 7 the pivoting of said lever. p vV 6. A compact latch comprising in combination a (A), first secondmemberspivotally joined at a pivot connection diordifferential,rotationbetWeen-a latched condition and an nn'l'ato'hed"condition,

(B) pr-ong movable away from and -into;1atching"dis@ position withrespect to said members,

(C) a latch member .pivotallyhrorinted on one of said members and 1)pi'votally linked *with the other of said mernhers, r e

V (2) so that said difierential rotation; ofv said first and secondmembers pivot-s said latch member into and out of positiveengagerfientfwiflh said prong, and

(D )p releasalble holding rnean's 'associatedwith said first and secondanem bers'for holding them in said latched condition, p i i 1(1)s'aidholding means being spaced from said 8 v a pivot connection hy adistance greater than the distance between said pivot connection andsaid I latch memher,

(2) so that a relatively small holding force applied by' said 'hol'dingmeans maintains said first and second members in said latched condition,(E) means associated with said first and second members forming a: prongchamber for receivingsaid References Cited the Exaniiner UNITED STATESPATENTS '2/37 Fitch 296--'134 6/56 Landholt 292 -97 FOREIGN PATENTS i793,975 1/58 'Gr eatB ritain M. WOODS JR? Pi'imary'Examiner.

' ALBERTHKAMPE,Examiner.

1. A CATCH FOR LATCHING A PRONG MEMBER MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAIDCATCH, SAID CATCH COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) A BASE MEMBER, (B) ALATCH MEMBER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER FOR ROTATIONBETWEEN AN UNLATCH POSITION WHERE IT ALLOWS SAID PRONG MEMBER TO BEWITHDRAWN FROM SAID CATCH AND A LATCHED POSITION WHERE IT POSITIVELYENGAGE SAID PRONG MEMBER AND DRAWS IT FULLY INTO SAID CATCH, (1) MEANSFORMING A SLOT IN SAID LATCH MEMBER, (C) AN ACTUATOR PIVOTALLY JOINED ATA FIRST POINT TO SAID BASE MEMBER, (1) A REMOTE END OF SAID ACTUATORSPACED FROM SAID FIRST POINT, (2) A POST EXTENDING FROM SAID ACTUATOR TOENGAGE SAID LATCH MEMBER SLOT AT A SECOND POINT ALONG SAID ACTUATORINTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST POINT AND SAID REMOTE END (A) SO THAT A SMALLLATCH OPERATING PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID ACTUATOR AT SAID REMOTE ENDPIVOTS SAID LATCH MEMBER BETWEEN SAID UNLATCHED AND LATCHED POSITIONSWITH A LEVER ACTION HAVING A MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE.